Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 1921-Apr 1922)

Page scan 000251 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jun 1921-Apr 1922
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 1921-Apr 1922)
Leaf #:
000251
Language:
English
Collection:
Canada, Hollywood Studio System, Early Cinema, and Global Cinema
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
New York Public Library
Sponsor:
Google Books
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:

Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Editors: Merrick R. Nutting (1917-18), Raymond S. Peck (1918), Ray Lewis (1918-19 and 1920-54), Walter Greene (1919-20), Jay Smith (1954-57)

Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1917-57) was initially a Montréal-based rival of the first film paper in Canada, Toronto-based Canadian Universal Bulletin (1915-18, edited by W.A. Bach 1915-17, J.W. Cambridge 1917-18, Raymond S. Peck 1918). The two periodicals were combined in 1918, keeping the Digest name, but moving production to Toronto with Peck as editor. Canadian Moving Picture Digest assumed The Bulletin’s volume numbering and always claimed 1915 as its year of origin. Ray Lewis (née Rae Levinsky) was a writer and playwright, who spent time in early Hollywood’s publicity departments. She briefly took the Digest helm in 1918, then long-term editor, later owner and publisher, from 1920 until her death in 1954. Under Lewis’s leadership, the trade paper claimed to serve as a voice for independent exhibitors and advocated for a Canadian cultural presence in cinema, particularly emphasizing British films as a way to keep a distance from Hollywood. Lewis's editorials were notable for their advocacy, wit, and critique of American dominance in the Canadian film market. While initially positioning herself as an outsider, she became integrated within the industry and a true insider. She even had an ongoing correspondence with Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, advocating for the industry as a whole and supporting British film imports. She was well-known at Toronto’s Dundas Square film row as well as in New York and Hollywood. Variety’s Sime Silverman called her “the Girl Friend in Canada,” and she delighted when U.S. writers not “in the know” presumed “Ray” was a man’s name. Lewis was later an inaugural member of the Canadian Picture Pioneers, eventually the group’s first female president and Pioneer of the Year. After she died in 1954, her son Jay Smith took over editorial duties until Canadian Moving Picture Digest was bought by Nat Taylor’s Film Publications of Canada in 1957. Taylor incorporated the legacy journal into a joint masthead for Canadian Film Weekly (1942-70), which subsequently dated its roots back to the 1915 origins of the film press in Canada.

– Jessica Whitehead and Paul Moore, March 2024

Further Reading

  • Whitehead, Jessica, Louis Pelletier and Paul Moore, “‘The Girl Friend in Canada’: Ray Lewis and Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1915–1957).” In Daniel Biltereyst and Lies Van de Vijver, eds., Mapping Movie Magazines: Digitization, Periodicals and Cinema History, 127-52. London: Pagrave-Macmillan, 2021.

Date Added:
June 13, 2024
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Montreal News HE fight against Sunday opening is going on still in this city but not so as you would notice it much. In the first place there are not many theatres that open Sundays and in the second it was a bad time of year to take action since few people have been going anywhere except Dufferin Terrace on these fine summer evenings. Maurice M. Davis with his ‘Straight From Paris’’ release here has been getting into a little trouble owing to an oversight in not having the reprint of the original not censored in this city. Since the original was duly censored by the Quebec Board of Censors, it might be supposed that a mere copy of it would hardly need looking over again, but they don’t do things that way in Quebee City which is a stickler for these little points. Maurice paid a small fine and is now wiser than he was. e e es NOTHER theatre will be opened here shortly, namely. Loew’s East end branch, at the old Francais, which is to be ealled the Court Theatre. It will be ready early in September and has been renovated and _ re-decorated from top to bottom, presenting the handsome appearance generally associated with the Loew undertakings. It will be devoted, like its West End sister theatre, to vaudeville and pictures and should gather in goodly crowds at the very reasonable prices to be charged. NIVERSAL Exchange employ| | ees are all looking forward to a good time shortly when the results of the $7000 Prize contest are announced. Montreal is well in the running for a prize and when it is obtained, a wine party will celebrate the event. This is almost already booked for September 10th. ‘“‘No Woman Knows”’ an eightreeler starring Mabel Julien Scott will be released by Universal here about the end of September. At the same time the Century Comedy feature ‘‘Golfing’’ with the famous dog ‘‘Brownie’’ in the stellar role will be showing here, released by the same exchange. Page Four Digitized by Goc gle HE dispute with the musicians and the stage hands of the moving picture and _ other theatres of this city has been satisfactorily disposed. The men on advice from their New York Union headquarters have accepted a small wage cut and there will now be no strike as was threatened for the beginning of this month. With the numerous troubles always facing theatrical managers this, at least, is one out of the way. SS» © @ HE members of the Theatre Managers Protection Association waited on Hon. Athanase David, provincial secretary, in connection with the government tax of ten per cent. on admission tickets. By that time, since the tax came into force September 1, the protest was far too late to be of any effect and the extra cost has been passed on to the public. The latter as usual grumbled and paid up, the theatres on the first day of the operation of the tax being packed to the doors. eo @ Specialty Film Import are releasing soon ‘‘The Servant in the House’’ and the ‘‘Road to London,”’ the latter featuring Bryant Washburn, at the end of September. Howard Conover, manager of the Imperial Theatre, has returned from New York where he has been for some time discussing the policy of his theatre with those interested. e ® s H. Kaufman, general salesmanager of Regal Film Corporation has been busy lining up first run releases in connection with the 1921-22 policy. ee e@ _ W. O’Loghlin, for some years with Famous Players, is now travelling salesman with Regal Films in the province of Quebec. e e e The Canadian Educational Film ‘Corporation is releasing four Christie films at the end of the month in the Allen, Loew’s, Imperial and Capitol theatres here. e @ e H. O’Regan, late proprietor of the Elite picture theatre, Granby, has sold his theatre and is now acting as booker for Regal films. Sheridan Ancostis has taken over the Elite. HE Province of Quebec is contemplating entering shortly on a film campaign to aid in the prevention and cure of disease. To this end Hon. Athanase David, provincial secretary, is in negotiation with one of the best-known of Montreal exchanges for the release of the films across the entire province. Betty Compson, ‘‘ Affairs of Anatol.’’ Canadian Educational Films are also running a special week which is now over and during which practically every west-end houde here played their Christie comedies. 2 we e Canadian Exhibitors have got a real hummer in ‘‘ Pagan Love’’ which they will release here shortly. ee @ «@« P. ELMS, manager of Loew’s J theatre here, is opening and is * in charge of the second Loew’s theatre here known as the ‘‘Court”’ which will start running September 9th with ‘‘If Women only Knew,”’’ a Regal release. Mr. Elms is among the go-ahead theatrical men in this city. His lobby displays are fine instances of attractiveness and ingenuity, one example being the ‘‘Message from Mars’’ where he has catchy queries pasted on the mirrors and 24-sheet posters for cut-outs. The result was that even in the recent hot spell Mr. Elms was turning the public away from his theatre in scores. e @ @ Herb. Allen and J. J. Allen were here recently looking around the town. eee Mr. Abels, general representative of Fox Film Corporation, was in town recently looking after his first run releases. Original from NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY